High corn price mean pigs eat candy bars, french fries

Oh, the life of a pig… Due to the rising price of corn (thanks to increased production of corn ethanol), farmers all over America are substituting relatively cheap junk food to keep their porkies plump!

“Besides trail mix, pigs and cattle are downing cookies, licorice, cheese curls, candy bars, french fries, frosted wheat cereal and peanut-butter cups. Some farmers mix chocolate powder with cereal and feed it to baby pigs,” writes Lauren Etter.

My wife calls that last one “puppy chow” when she makes it! It’s mmm… good!

“California farmers are feeding farm animals grape-skins from vineyards and lemon-pulp from citrus groves. Cattle ranchers in spud-rich Idaho are buying truckloads of uncooked french fries, Tater Tots and hash browns.”

Mom’s, don’t let your kids read this article, you’ll never hear the end of it: “But MOOOMMM, even FARMERS let their animals eat french fries, peanut butter cups and licorice for dinner, why can’t you let ME??!!”

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About the author: Jason Welker is a teacher at Zurich International School in Switzerland, where he teaches Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Economics. Jason was an international school student in Malaysia before studying economics at Seattle University then earning his Masters in Education. He calls Seattle and Northern Idaho home. In addition to maintaining an economics wiki and this blog for economics student and educators, Jason also gives presentations on using Web 2.0 tools in education at workshops and conferences around the world. His economics wiki won the 2007 "Best Educational Wiki" award from the "EduBlog Awards".

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